Tattersall’s Club votes to allow females to join

One of Australia’s last men’s only clubs will now open its doors to women after members backed the historic change.

The Tattersalls Club president Stuart Fraser after the club held the vote. Picture: AAP

One of Australia’s last men-only clubs will open its doors to women, after members of the Tattersall’s Club in Brisbane yesterday narrowly backed the historic change in a vote already being questioned by opponents.

After a divisive month-long debate within the 153-year-old club, a ballot to allow females to join was carried by 1405 in favour and 1368 against, with 242 ruled ­invalid. The high number of inform­al votes on the yes or no ballot of the club’s 4800 members was seized upon by members opposin­g change, with former Nationa­ls senator Bill O’Chee saying the outcome was “suspicious’’.

Some of the votes deemed as informal by scrutineers were from members who had resigned or had not paid their annual dues, and one who was dead. A further 61 who ticked, rather than marked the required cross in the box on the ballot paper, had their votes ruled informal, ­although it is understood the ­majority supported allowing women to join.

Mr O’Chee said opponents were not allowed to have their own scrutineers. He said it was too early to say whether there would be a challenge to the vote, which followed two previous ballot­s on the issue, the most recen­t in 2006. “I think the ballot is certainly suspicio­us, the informal vote is three times the average informal vote for a House of Representatives seat … and it is a simple yes or no,’’ he said.

The announcement of the ­result was met by cries of “shame’’ by some members.

Tattersall’s president Stuart Fraser, who championed the change to arrest falling membership, said the ballot involved the highest participation rate — at 63 per cent — of any vote undertaken in the history of the club. The honorary treasurer of Queensland’s Liberal National Party, Mr Fraser said the ballot followed months of consultation and was overseen by scrutineers, a former past president and a QC.

“This is a significant moment,’’ he said. “We look forward to comin­g together as a community and extending the hand of friendship.’’

Under the now-dumped rules, women were only allowed into the club if they held a “partner card”, as a guest, or if they were ­attending a function.

Last month, Premier Anna­stacia Palaszczuk accused Tattersall’s of being “out of step” with the community.

She banned ministe­rs from attending the club after it was revealed Tattersall’s had offered honorary memberships to male state ministers after Labor won government in 2015. She told The Australian yesterday: “History. It’s about time.”

Three executive office holders who opposed the change were suspended or stood down over their internal cam­paign­i­ng, and opponents creat­ed a website accus­ing the club’s 10-member committee of manufacturing a finan­cial crisis to “justify a risky departure from … traditions”.

Many members exiting the club after the announcement refuse­d to comment. But ­Malcolm McMillan, who voted in favour, said he was delighted. “It’s Tatt’s coming into the real world,” he said. Lex Heinemann was ­direct: “I think you have to accept the referee’s decision. That is what has been decided on and good luck to them.”

Female relatives of current members will be the first to join next year, with membership later extended to the general public.

Sydney’s Tattersall’s Club ­allowed women members in 2013, but other men-only clubs remain, including The Athenaeum and the Savage, both in ­Melbourne.